Safer Internet Day Report Highlights Posted on 9 February 2017 by Rebecca Avery - Education Safeguarding Adviser in EdTech On Tuesday 7th February schools across Kent and beyond joined together to celebrate Safer Internet Day (SID) with the aim of inspiring people to ‘Be the Change’ and unite for a better internet. The day is celebrated globally in February each year to promote the safe and positive use of digital technology for children and young people.A new study commissioned by official organisers of the day, the UK Safer Internet Centre reveals that images and video play a central role in young people’s digital lives and are powerful tools of communication, self-expression and creativity.Here are some interesting statistics from a recent study:The majority of children (84%) aged 8-17 have shared a photo online, with 1 in 6 doing so in the last hour 4 in 5 young people have been inspired to take action by an online image or video But more than 1 in 5 have been bullied with images or videos online and 70% have seen images and videos not suitable for their age and almost half (45%) of 13-17-year-olds have seen nude or nearly nude photos of someone they know being shared around their school or local community.The study also highlighted the need for young people to better understand privacy controls when sharing images and videos. Over half (56%) of young people aged 8-17 years said they have shared images or videos on a public social media profile, with almost a third (31%) saying that most of the photos they share are on a public profile that can be seen by anyone.The full report along with useful links and resources can be located on the Kent e-Safety blog which is run by the Education Safeguarding Adviser (Online Protection) and e-Safety Development Officer from the Kent County Council Education Safeguarding Team.It’s not too late to ‘Be the Change’! Schools can download the official SID 2017 teaching resources and materials from UK Safer Internet Centre website. There is also plenty of information to help keep teenagers stay safe online here. Here's an article that provides excellent advice and offers practical strategies to help children and young people manage overwhelming feelings.